Fog Light Problem

knuckleballer32 · 06-23-2009, 07:06 PM

I was wondering if any of you guys or girls have ever had a problem with the fog light bulbs not lasting very long. I replaced my front left fog light bulb when I did my plugs and this was only in early January and it has already died and the front right one has had yet to die. I plan to replace both with yellow bulbs but before that I was wondering how to fix this short or other problem.

Blktrax · 06-23-2009, 08:18 PM

Fog bulbs are just like halogen headlight bulbs, if you touch the glass, bam splat, no worky. Ive has issues with touching the mositure ring and had the same result. Also if the lense is cracked and letting moisture in again same result.

I removed the housing around the light, resealed it and then ran a bolt through since cutting off the housing looses the aiming pin.

Nate's Alero · 06-23-2009, 08:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckleballer32

I was wondering if any of you guys or girls have ever had a problem with the fog light bulbs not lasting very long. I replaced my front left fog light bulb when I did my plugs and this was only in early January and it has already died and the front right one has had yet to die. I plan to replace both with yellow bulbs but before that I was wondering how to fix this short or other problem.

mine die once every few months, get better bulbs

there's an aiming pin? where!?!?

Blktrax · 06-23-2009, 08:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate's Alero

there's an aiming pin? where!?!?

On the back of the OE foglight there is a plastic wingnut that allows the light to be aimed up and down, since i removed mine i aim it by loosing the nut and bolt and adjust accordingly. Last i remember you have to turn the wheels all the way one direction and go through the fender liner, or remove the headlight and go down.

leoalero · 06-23-2009, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blktrax

Fog bulbs are just like halogen headlight bulbs, if you touch the glass, bam splat, no worky. Ive has issues with touching the mositure ring and had the same result. Also if the lense is cracked and letting moisture in again same result.

I removed the housing around the light, resealed it and then ran a bolt through since cutting off the housing looses the aiming pin.

x2 for that,touching the bulb is bad,it if its not the problem,then check for the seal,is it properly sealed?check if theres nothing to produce a short close to it!

knuckleballer32 · 06-23-2009, 10:04 PM

Thanks guys. It has to be the moisture. last time I changed the bulb I noticed moisture on the bulb. That looks really good blktrax. Will I be able to remove the exterior housing without removing the fender on the front tires?

Blktrax · 06-23-2009, 11:22 PM

I went from the bottom removing the clips that hold the splash guards on the bottom of the plastic bumper, remove the 2 bolts that hold the bracket to the steel bumper. pull the whole thing out the front. Cut the top and the bottom of the dress housing. Its held on simmilarly to the headlight housing, heat glue and pressure. I used a cutoff wheel and the heat from that got it to just split, being careful not to cut the accual foglight itself. Just need some hardware then, I used Bolt:washer:tab:washer:nut:GAP:nut:washer:tab:wash er:nut
Reason being if you dont it will pull the tabs on the mount and break them if tightened too much, the extra nuts and washers give the tabs some thing to push on rather then just pull together.

lonnie · 06-24-2009, 10:26 AM

Moisture is what kills my passenger side bulb faster than the drivers side.

zzyzzx · 06-24-2009, 04:35 PM

I'm not sure even how to turn them on.

knuckleballer32 · 06-24-2009, 10:04 PM

there is a flip switch by the dimmer switch. it has a green indicator light

Nate's Alero · 06-24-2009, 10:22 PM

mine gets moisture in the dirver's side, i dried it out, and put RTV on it.... it MIGHT have helped, but im not sure

99alerogirl · 06-24-2009, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonnie

Moisture is what kills my passenger side bulb faster than the drivers side.

x2....

Nate's Alero · 06-24-2009, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 99alerogirl

x2....

RTV sealent is your friend

zzyzzx · 06-25-2009, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knuckleballer32

there is a flip switch by the dimmer switch. it has a green indicator light

I noticed that this morning, but when I tried turning them on nothing happenned. I assume that the headlights have to be turned on? Does the engine have to be running? I bought this car used, but I'm reasonably sure that my mom never used the fog lights either. Can they go bad without ever being used?

Nate's Alero · 06-25-2009, 11:43 AM

has to be running, can either be parking lamps or headlights to turn them on, they wont run by themselves

zzyzzx · 06-25-2009, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate's Alero

has to be running, can either be parking lamps or headlights to turn them on, they wont run by themselves

Thanks. I was doing this test with the car not running. And the Alero in question is a 1999 with 25,000 miles on it, and I'm assuming that the former owner (my mom) never used the fog lights.

Nate's Alero · 06-25-2009, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zzyzzx

Thanks. I was doing this test with the car not running. And the Alero in question is a 1999 with 25,000 miles on it, and I'm assuming that the former owner (my mom) never used the fog lights.

yes, my alero is a 99 with 153K miles, bit of a difference eh?

zzyzzx · 06-25-2009, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nate's Alero

yes, my alero is a 99 with 153K miles, bit of a difference eh?

Yeah, mine should actually work!

knuckleballer32 · 06-25-2009, 10:24 PM

well i am going to pull a part tomorrow to buy a foglight after i pulled mine off my car only to find the bulb corroded out and a moldy lamp so moisture was the problem. thanks guys

Alerosaint · 06-26-2009, 04:18 AM

its probably been said in the tread already but im going to skim and say it is moisture for the fogs being cracked change the fog to uncracked ones and you will be good until you crack those...Im out